Cleaner for pipe lines



Aug. .16, 1949. W E. D. WORTHAM 2,478,961

CLEANER FOR PIPE LINES Filed May 19, 1944 ATTORNEYS provision of a Patented Aug. 16, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Edgar D. Wortham, Masonville, N. J. ApplicationMay 19,1944, Serial No. 526,310) r This invention appertains to cleaners for pipe lines, and has for one of its several objects to provide a novel go devil type of means that will effectively clear away inside sedimentarildeposits and the like, which, when present, act to reduce the transmission capacity of the pipe line, when it is forcibly propelled through the pipe line by the; pressure of a .fluidflow therethrough.

Another object of the invention has to do with the provision of means of the kind specified, that takes the form of a hollow steel sphere, or ball, having its outer surface provided with protuberances, or lugs, either dulled or sharpened, which, when forcibly propelled through a pipe line, under pressure, will have gyral motion that will effectively knock out, or otherwise scrape or cut away, inside sedimentary deposits for the subsequent discharge of the same to clear the line.

A further object ofthe invention lies in the follower, also of spherical or ball form, which effectively utilizes the full force of the pressure of the fluid flow to keep the go devil in motion and to assist in preventing the sticking or gumming up of the loosened sediment deposits.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of a pipe line, partly in section, showing the cleaner devices positioned therein, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of one form of the follower;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side view of the go devil scraper or cutter;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view, line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through a modified form of follower; and

Figure 7 is a similar view, taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawing, the invention, as it is exemplified therein, is generally comprised in a smooth surfaced, hollow, steel, spherical body, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 6, and 7, which is to be employed in conjunction with a roughened surfaced, hollow, steel, spherical body, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the latter, called a go devil, having its surfaces taken on the taken on the 2 Claims. (01. 104.06)

formed to provide a plurality 56 of protuberances, which may be of a dulled formation to forcibly knock loose sedimentary deposits within a pipe line, or sharpened to scrape or cut away any such deposits, as may be required. In use, a smooth surfaced body functions as a follower to the roughened surfaced body and, as such, substantially aids the pressure of the flow. through the pipeline in keepingthe latter body in gyral, and a more or less bouncing, motion.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a follower body or ball I0 is made of steel to a thickness of onequarter of an inch, or more, and of any desired or required size in diameter, depending upon the pipe diameter, and is preferably provided with diametrically opposed apertures 12, to allow for the passage of loosened portions of sediment and of the fluid pressure therethrough to prevent any sticking or gumming up of the sediment.

A follower body or ball l0, however, may be modified after the manner shown in Figures 6 and 7, and, here, a steel rod or shaft 20 will be extended through the same weight 22 interiorly thereof, the weight preferably being loose on the rod and acting to maintain the body on a straight course through the pipe line. To assemble the counter-weight 22 and the rod 20 within the body ID, a portion of the wall of the body is cut out, as at M, concentrically of one of the aforesaid apertures l2 and to a size to admit of the insertion of the counter-weight therein. The counter-weight 22 is diametrically apertured, as at 24, to loosely receive the rod which has its ends engaged in the apertures l2 and secured therein, as at l6, by suitable means, such as welding; the cutout portion 14 being replaced and secured in like manner, as at IS.

The go devil, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, is comprised in the hollow steel body 26 and has a number of more or less equidistantly spaced protuberances 28 welded on its outer surface. These protuberances 28, as before stated, may be in th form of lugs to knock inside sedimentary deposits from the pipe line, (01' they may be sharpened, to function as scrapers or cutters to clear the pipe line of such deposits. devil will have an overall diameter substantially equal to that of the followers l0, Ill, and when properly sized with respect to a given pipe line, they will readily pass through ninety degree'ells and the usual cutoff and discharge valves of a pipe line.

In use with the pipe line as shown in Figure 1, wherein cutoff Valves are designated a and b, and discharge valves 0, one method of clearing a to support a counter-,

The go,

section of the line, is to shut the cutoff valves a, b, to either side of a discharge valve 0, and.--

open the latter valve to insert a go devil 26 and a follower I0, l0, into the line. After this is done, the discharge valve 0 will be closed and the eutofi valves a and b opened for the passage of the fluid pressure therethrough. With the fluid flow in the direction from cutoff valve 41 to cutoff valve 1), and during the passage of the clearing elements through the pipe line, as the latter near a discharge valve 0, the latter is partially opened, or cracked, and the cutoff valve b closed. Upon the closing of the cutoff valve b, the discharge valve c will be fully opened for the passage of the clearing elements outwardly therethrough, together with the loosened sediment admixed with the fluid. By this method of operation, much time and fluid, for instance, water, will be saved.

Without further description, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be fully comprehended by those skilled in pipe construction, operation, and maintenance, and it is to be understood that the line clearing elements may be employed in any other manner than that specified herein.

What I claim is:

1. Means for cleaning pipe lines comprising REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 940,457 Gerhart Nov. 16, 1909 1,120,757 Steinberger Dec. 15, 1914 1,371,704 Miller Mar. 15, 1921 1,475,431 Evans Nov. 27, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 277,230 Italy Sept. 2, 1930 

